Front loading extension ladders



May 23, 1967 L. A. KOCINA FRONT LOADING EXTENSION LADDERS 2 Sheets-Sheei1 Filed June 25, 1965 INVENTQR. e A. K0 and law/e May 23, 1967 A. KOCINAFRONT LOADING EXTENSION LADDERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 23, 1965Aime/v5 m United States Patent Office 3,32Lfl42 Patented May 23, 19673,321,042 FRONT LOADING EXTENSION LADDERS Lawrence A. Kocina, Sirnsbury,Conn, assignor to R. 1). Werner (30., Inc, Greenville, Pin, acorporation of Pennsylvania Fiietl June 23, 1965, Ser. No. 466,241Claims. (Cl. 1822tl@) This invention relates to extension ladders andrelates more particularly to ladders of such type wherein the sectionsthereof may be detached or separated, and employed as separate ladders.

It is an object of this invention to provide an extension ladder of thetype referred to wherein the separation of the respective sectionsthereof may be accomplished while the ladder is in its inclined orworking position.

It is a further object of this invention to provide the respectivesections of the extension ladder with guide members guiding the saidsections for longitudinal movement with respect to each other, saidrespective guide members providing easy front loading of the ladder andready disengagement of the sections when desired.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an extensionladder of the type referred to, in which both of said sections arecapable of being used as individual single ladder units and which caneach be provided with end caps and ladder feet.

Another object of this invention is to provide improved guide means foran extension ladder of the type referred to. Yet another object is toprovide improved means for disengaging the respective ladder sections ofan extension ladder.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved extensionladder of the type referred to which will be economical in constructionand highly eficient in use.

These and other objects of this invention will become more readilyapparent from a purview of the invention as set forth in the appendeddescription and disclosed in the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded side view of the base and fly sections of thefront loading extension ladder of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the fly section only.

FIG. 3 is a front elevation of the base section only.

FIG. 4 is a side view showing a first step in assembling the fly sectionto the base section; this view also shows the last step in disassemblingthe fly section from the base section.

FIG. 5 is a side view showing the fly section completely assembled tothe base section but not extended.

FIG. 6 is a side view showing the fly section assembled to the basesection and fully extended.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary front elevation of one side rail of eachsection, partly broken away, as viewed from the line 7--7 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 but viewed from the line 88 of FIG.4.

FIG. 9 is a side view of an upper end portion of one ladder sectionrail.

FIG. 10 is a top plan view of the rail of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a transverse section taken along the line 11-11 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 12 is a transverse section taken along the line 12-12 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 13 is a diagrammatic view combining views similar to FIGS. 11 and12 but showing modified ladder rails.

Referring now to the drawings in all of which like parts are designatedby like reference characters, and particularly to FIGS. 1-5, the frontloading extension ladder of this invention is generally indicated at Land comprises a fly section 20 and a base section 40. The fly section 20comprises a pair of channel shaped side rails 21 having webs 22 andlaterally outwardly directed, parallel flanges 23, having inturned endportions 23, as best shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. The upper end of eachrail 21 is surmounted by an end cap 24 (see FIGS. 7, 8, 9), and the webs22 are connected by rungs 25 in a conventional manner.

The inner surface of each web 22 of the side rails 21 of the fly sectionis provided with a catch member as pivoted to said web by suitablemeans, such as brackets 27 carried by the said web. Each catch member 26is of inverted J-shaped form having an open-end slot or cutout 26a,adapted to engage adjacent rungs of each of the ladder sections tosecure said sections in any desired extended position; a pivotedretainer arm 26b automatically locks the same in position. The catchmembers, as shown, are preferably mounted on the lower sides of the flysection, as for example, just above the third rung of the same, whereforthe catches engage the third rung of the fly section and simultaneouslya corresponding rung of the base section 49 disposed adjacent theretowhen the ladder sections are assembled and in the non-extended positionof FIG. 5.

The lower end portion of each rail 21 of the fly section 20 carries alower guide bracket 28 which porjects laterally outwardly from the flysection 20, as Well shown in FIG. 2, for engaging and entering a siderail of the base extension 46, in a manner to be hereinlater fullydescribed.

The base section 40 of the ladder comprises channel shaped side rails 41having webs 4-2 and laterally inwardly directed, parallel flanges 43,having inturned end portions 43. An end cap 44 is secured to the upperend of each rail 41, and the webs 42 are connected by rungs 45 in aconventional manner.

Pivoted ladder shoes 46 are carried by the lower ends of the rails 41,said shoes being pivotally mounted upon laterally directed bolts 47extending transversely of the rails 41. The bolts 47 are disposedthrough a slot 470 in the Web 42 of the rail 41 whereby the shoe may berotated outwardly of the rail to clear the guide means on the fly (seeFIGURE 8). The said pivotal mounting of the ladder shoes 46 permits theladder to be solidly footed upon a ground or base surface B, shown inbroken lines in FIGURES 4-6, even though the ladder be angled against awall or other vertical surface V, also shown in broken lines in saidfigures of drawing.

An inwardly directed, upper guide bracket 48 similar to the fly sectionbracket 28 is carried at the upper end of each of the side rails 41 ofthe base section 40, and said guide brackets are adapted to engage andenter the side rails 21 of the fly section 29 in a manner to behereinlater fully described.

It will be noted that the rails 21 of the fly section Zll are solaterally spaced as to loosely and slidably fit between the side rails41 of the base section 4% and that the rungs 45 of said base section aredisposed below or behind, as shown, the front flanges 43 whereby the flysection 20 can nest partially within the base section 40. This nestingallows the lower guide brackets 28 to project behind the front flanges43 of the base section 40 and the upper guide brackets 48 to projectbehind the front flanges 23 of the fly section 20.

Referring now to FIGURES 7-10, the end caps 24 on the fly section 20 andthe end caps 44 on the base section 40 are identical in form althoughrelatively oppositely positioned on their respective ladder section.Therefore, only the end caps 24 will be described in detail, and it willbe understood that the end caps 44 comprise like parts.

Each end cap 24 comprises an upright web 30 and an upwardly arched,laterally offset hood 31 providing an upwardly rounded surface extensionof the flanges 23 of the associated rail 21. Each web 30 is adapted tobe disposed in general alignment with the web 22 of the associated rail,and the lower end of each said web 30 has a pending mounting extension32 which has a vertical slot 33 disposed therein for receiving the upperedge portion of the associated rail web 22. Vertical reinforcing gussets34 are provided on the outer side of each web 30 beneath the laterallyoffset hood 31, said gussets extending downwardly to the bottom edge ofthe mounting extension 32. Said end caps are secured to the ladder rails21 'by means of rivets 35 which project laterally through the mountingextensions 32 and the associated rail webs 22.

The end caps 44 are positioned laterally opposite to the end caps 24 andcomprise, briefly, upright webs 50, arched hoods 51, depending mountingextensions 52 having slots 53, reinforcing gussets 54, and gasteningrivets 55. The hoods 51 are laterally offset outwardly of the base 40,as best illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8. By positioning the hoods 31 and 51to be laterally offset in opposite directions, adequate clearance isprovided at the tops of the rails 21 and 41 to permit disengagement ofthe fly section 20 from the base section 40. The offset of the end capsof each ladder section permits said end caps to clear the side rails' ofthe other section, and the offset of the end caps 24 provides clearancefor the upper guide brackets 48. The end caps may be made of anysuitable material such as plastic or aluminum, and may be manufacturedby any suitable method such as injection molding or casting.

As herein illustrated, channel shaped ladder shoes 46 are disclosed(FIGS. 7 and 8) on the feet of the base section and are formed toprovide a horizontal base 60 having cleats or ribs 61 secured thereto bymeans of rivets 62. V-shaped integral arms 63 and 64 project upwardlyand are offset inwardly to be pivoted upon the bolts 47. The upper endof each arm 64 carries a laterally projecting tongue 65, the end ofwhich abuts the inner surface of the web 42 of the associated side rail41 of the base section to maintain preferred spacing between said arm 64and the arm 63. Shoes may be provided on both the fly and base sections,if desired.

The guide brackets 28 and 48 are identical in form but are oppositelypositioned in the side rails 21 and 41, respectively, as well shown inFIGS. 11 and 1 2. Said guide brackets 28 and 48 comprise, respectively,flat mounting portions 36 and 56, laterally outwardly and inwardlyprojecting slide portions 37 and 57, and backwardly turned ends 38 and58 carried at the distal edges of said slide portions. As illustrated,the slide portions 37 and 57 extend behind the flanges 43 and 23 havinginwardly turned hooks 43a and 23a which engage or hook over the ends 38and 58, respectively. Rivets 39 and 59 secure the mounting portions 36and 56 to the inner surfaces of the webs 22 and 42, respectively, withthe slide portions 37 and 57 positioned adjacent the associated railflange which overlaps the opposite ladder section. From the foregoing itwill be readily seen that when the lower guide brackets 28 are hookedbehind the front flanges 43 and the upper guide brackets 48 are hookedbehind the rear flanges 23, the fly section 20 and base section 40 canbe moved longitudinally with respect to each other from the retractedposition of FIG. to the extended position of FIG. 6 while remainingpositively engaged with each other.

To initially engage the fly section 20 to the base section 40, saidsections are positioned generally as shown in FIG. 4 with the basesection leaning against a vertical surface V. The fly section 20 is thenmanipulated Whereby the upper ends of the side rails 21 are slightlybelow the upper guide brackets 48 of the base section 40 and wherebysaid side rails 21 are resting on the top rung 45. A slight upwardmovement of the fly section 20 then causes the flanges 23, adjacent thetop rung 45 of the base section to slip behind the slide portions 57 ofthe upper guide brackets 48. At the same time, the lower end of the flysection 20 is moved inwardly against the rungs 45 whereby upwardmovement of the fly section causes the slide ortions 37 of the lowerguide brackets to engage the front flanges 43 of the base section siderails 41. By use of the catch member 26 in the conventional manner, thefly section 20 may be maintained in any desired extended position as,for example, that shown in FIG. 6.

It will be readily understood that removal of the fly section 20 iseffected by reversing the above described operation. Interferencebetween the ladder shoes 46 and the lower guide brackets 28 can beavoided by pivoting said shoes away from the fly section 20, ifnecessary. It will be further noted that the ladder sections may also beengaged or disengaged by laying the base section upon the ground withthe fly section overlying it whereby the guide brackets and rail flangeswill engage or disengage upon longitudinal sliding movement of the flysection. However, a particularly advantageous feature of this inventionis the ease with which the extension ladder can be manipulated while inan inclined or working position.

FIG. 13 shows a diagrammatic view of a pair of modified side rails 71and 91 comprising fly and base sections 70 and 9th, respectively. Inthis modification, the rails are I-shaped, having flanges 73 and 93which project on either side of webs 72 and 92, respectively. It will benoted that guide brackets and 95 similar to guide brackets 28 and 48previously described can be carried on one side of the I insubstantially the same manner as the guide brackets 28 and 48 arecarried by the rails 21 and 41, respectively, in the form of FIGS. 1 to12.

It will be understood that many other changes in the details of theinvention as herein described and illustrated may be made without,however, departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the appendedclaims.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the class described, a pair of ladder sections, one afly section and one a base section, said sections includingchannel-shaped side rails and connecting rungs, said channel-shaped siderails having substantially parallel flanges, said flanges havinginturned end portions, means for guiding said sections mountedinternally of the channel of the rails of each section for parallelsliding and longitudinal movement with respect to the other section,said guide means having an outwardly projecting side portion havinghooked ends, said ends hooking over the inturned ends of the rail flangeof the opposite ladder section, the guide means on the fly sectionextending laterally of the channel-shaped rail of said fly sectionengaging the channel-shaped rail of the base section, the flanges of thechannel of the fly section being disposed outwardly of the web thereofand the flanges of the channel of the base section being disposedinwardly of the web thereof facing the flanges of the fly section andspaced therefrom by the said guide means.

2. In a device of the class described in claim 1, each of said guidemeans carried by the fly section and the base section rails being ofangular form having a relatively longer leg portion secured tothe web ofits associated rail and a relatively shorter leg portion extendinglaterally of the web and slidingly disposed within a flange of theopposite rail section.

3. In a device of the class described in claim 1, end cap memberssecured to the upper end of the rails of said base section, said capseach comprising a portion secured to the outer face of the web of saidrails and a hood portion extending laterally outwardly therefrom, andother end cap members secured to the upper end of the rails of said flysection, said other caps each comprising a portion adapted to be securedto the inner face of the web of said rails and a hood portion extendinglaterally inwardly therefrom.

4. In a device of the class described in claim 1, end cap memberssecured to the upper ends of the rails of the fly and base sections,said caps comprising a portion secured to the web of said rails and ahood portion extending laterally and inwardly therefrom, wherefor theend caps of the fly section clear the guide means on the base sectionand the end caps of the base section clear the side rails of the flysection during disassembly and assembly of the sections.

5. In a device of the class described in claim 1, shoes comprisingchannel-shaped shoe members adjustably and pivotally secured to the endsof the side rails of the base 10 section, the web of the channel of eachsaid shoe being disposed in spaced relation to the bottom of the railand being rotatable to afford clearance for the said guide means mountedon the bottom of said fly section to permit disengagement by the guidemeans with the lower portion of the base section and outward movementthereof of said fly setcion, further downward movement of the flysection permitting disengagement of the upper portion of the fly sectionby the guide means mounted on the upper portion of the base section.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 272,054 2/1883Iske 182107 1,379,808 5/1921 Fies 182111 FOREIGN PATENTS 234,146 6/ 1961Australia. 667,505 3/1952 Great Britain. 840,785 7/ 1960 Great Britain.

REINALDO P. MACHADO, Primary Examiner.

1. IN A DEVICE OF THE CLASS DESCRIBED, A PAIR OF LADDER SECTIONS, ONE AFLY SECTION AND ONE A BASE SECTION, SAID SECTIONS INCLUDINGCHANNEL-SHAPED SIDE RAILS AND CONNECTING RUNGS, SAID CHANNEL-SHAPED SIDERAILS HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL FLANGES, SAID FLANGES HAVINGINTURNED END PORTIONS, MEANS FOR GUIDING SAID SECTIONS MOUNTEDINTERNALLY OF THE CHANNEL OF THE RAILS OF EACH SECTION FOR PARALLELSLIDING AND LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT WITH RESPECT TO THE OTHER SECTION,SAID GUIDE MEANS HAVING AN OUTWARDLY PROJECTING SIDE PORTION HAVINGHOOKED ENDS, SAID ENDS HOOKING OVER THE INTURNED ENDS OF THE RAIL FLANGEOF THE OPPOSITE LADDER SECTION, THE GUIDE MEANS ON THE FLY SECTIONEXTENDING LATER-